WORDS RACHAEL ROBERTS
CHARLES & KEITH have launched a brand new collection in collaboration with Spanish-born artist Coco Capitán. Capitán is distinguished by her poetic musings and artwork and her work has been celebrated in galleries and museums across the globe. In the new collection, Capitán delves into the complex emotions that can arise from prose – in fashion, showcasing individuality and designing wearable pieces that incorporate her art.
Merging the simple elegance and sensibilities that make up the CHARLES & KEITH design aesthetic, the collection is built upon androgynous structured silhouettes which Capitán uses as her canvas. The stunning new designs also feature a unique personal twist from Capitán, as she takes over the brands iconic san-serif logo with her own signature script.
Design Director of CHARLES & KEITH - Fredie Stevens said, “CHARLES & KEITH is once again excited to be a catalyst in promoting creativity, tapping into the minds of globally acclaimed artists to create limited edition and unique pieces featuring their artwork – something we’ve never previously explored. Our team worked closely with Capitán to create this capsule collection that reflects her cool-girl attitude. These pieces, paired with her poignant prose, are perfect collector’s items for art lovers and the fashion forward crowd.”
We all remember playing childhood games, and this collaboration is inspired by the innocently played “He loves me, he loves me not.” The classic Perline Penny Loafers are stitched with beautiful sprays of blue daisies, together with a thoughtful handwritten prose from Capitán – “Loves Me Blue, Love Me Blue Not.” For me, the prose cleverly uses a positive nostalgic feeling that inspires optimism.
The Double Handle Sculptural Tote Bag has been embroidered with Capitán’s distinctive script too. The design depicts a single blue flower in concrete, blooming; evoking a welcoming and much-needed feeling of hope. The stitching on the bag is designed to be deliberately uneven so that every piece brings a sense of impulsiveness and the intimacy of a personalised piece. With this collection, each and every bag and shoe feels specially created for you. The all-black capsule design has an introspective feel, allowing us to contemplate Capitán’s words and what they could mean to us. Capitán, who completed her Master of Fine Arts, with Honours in 2016, commented “My art is inspired by overheard conversations, diary entries, and sudden waves of introspection. I believe that words can transcend cultures and give us a glimmer of hope for brighter times.”
Coco Capitán has had many solo exhibitions, her most recent, “Naïvy”, being held at Parco Museum, Tokyo. The well-established artist has also published several books including “If You’ve Seen It All, Close Your Eyes” and “Middle Point Between my House and China.” Her work has been featured in Vogue, the British Journal of Photography and the New York Times Magazine, just to name a few. CHARLES & KEITH are the go-to label for fashion-forward, stylish women.
Rooted in their core brand values – Experimental, Desirable, Curated and Modern – CHARLES &KEITH explore designs that are versatile, and always on-trend. Founded in 1996 by Charles Wong and Keith Wong whose purpose was to spark joy and confidence within women, they have a full range of footwear, bags, eyewear, accessories and costume jewellery. CHARLES & KEITH have over 600 brick and mortar stores in their global network and extends their reach further on CHARLESKEITH.COM, where you can delight in fashion, designed to celebrate and inspire women every day.
